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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Aviators announced today they have added eight participants from the recent Columbus UFL Showcase to their training camp roster. The group features former Ohio State and Wisconsin wide receiver Jayden Ballard and defensive backs DeQuan Finn and Markel Linzer, who both also participated in the Houston Showcase. Also added to the Aviators training camp roster are tight end James Faulkner, offensive lineman Ryan Johnson, defensive back Darrian Lewis, and wide receivers Qian Magwood and Jake Thaw.
The player additions highlight the Showcase Series’ role in identifying talent for the UFL while providing opportunities to players with ties to Columbus and communities throughout Ohio.
Columbus Aviators head coach Ted Ginn Jr. and members of the coaching staff evaluated prospects during the Columbus Showcase at Ohio Dominican University.
“These players showed good ability in the field drills and tested well,” said Ginn. “Sometimes the best talent is right in your own backyard. Building hometown pride in Columbus, throughout Ohio, and the Midwest is important to us, and these players earned their opportunity. They showed the ability and competitiveness our coaching staff looks for, and we're excited to give them a chance to compete in camp.”
In 2026, 48 players who previously participated in UFL Showcase events earned invitations to UFL training camps, with 39 ultimately appearing on active rosters. All eight UFL teams had at least two Showcase participants on their roster during the 2026 season. Columbus quarterback Jalen Morton is among the players who have reached the Aviators through the Showcase process.
Players receiving training camp invitations:
Jayden Ballard, WR (Ohio State / Wisconsin)
A top-100 national prospect out of Massillon Washington High School, Ballard was rated the nation’s No. 8 wide receiver and the No. 3 overall player in Ohio. He earned Ohio MaxPreps All-State honors while becoming Massillon’s all-time leader in career receiving yards and touchdown receptions in 2020. Ballard finished his high school career with 141 receptions for 2,636 yards and 37 touchdowns, helping lead the Tigers to three consecutive Division II state championship games. He played four seasons at Ohio State before finishing his college career at Wisconsin in 2025, recording 18 receptions for 327 yards and three touchdowns across 47 games between the two programs.
James Faulkner, TE (Notre Dame College / Gannon)
Faulkner earned second-team All-PSAC recognition and honorable mention Division II All-America honors at Gannon in 2025 after recording 46 receptions for 666 yards and two touchdowns. He led the team in receiving and set Gannon single-season records for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. At Notre Dame College in 2023, he earned first-team All-Mountain East Conference recognition after totaling 34 receptions for 384 yards and three touchdowns.
DeQuan Finn, DB (Toledo / Baylor / Miami (Ohio))
A standout quarterback at Toledo, Finn was named the 2023 MAC Player of the Year after leading the Rockets to an 11-2 record and an undefeated conference season. He threw for 2,657 yards and 22 touchdowns while adding 563 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Finn was named MVP of both the MAC Championship Game and the Boca Raton Bowl. He finished his Toledo career with 7,074 passing yards, 1,840 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns before continuing his college career at Baylor and Miami (Ohio). Finn participated in the Columbus and Houston Showcases as a defensive back and earned a training camp invitation at that position.
Ryan Johnson, OL (Duquesne / Youngstown State)
A Cincinnati native, Johnson began his college career at Duquesne before transferring to Youngstown State, where he made 28 starts over three seasons. He signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in May of 2024 and later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appearing on their roster during that preseason. Johnson signed with the Memphis Showboats in December 2024 and attended their 2025 training camp before signing with the Massachusetts Pirates.
Darrian Lewis, DB (Akron / West Virginia)
An Akron native and St. Vincent-St. Mary graduate, Lewis played four seasons at Akron before transferring to West Virginia in January 2025. He started 11 of 12 games at safety for the Mountaineers, recording 75 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble while earning a team captain designation for the game at Ohio. Lewis finished his college career with 280 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 17 pass breakups.
Markel Linzer, DB (Southeastern Louisiana / Grambling State)
Linzer began his college career at Southeastern Louisiana, recording 71 tackles in 28 games before transferring to Grambling State. In 17 games at Grambling, he totaled 52 tackles, five interceptions, and a forced fumble. He earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2025 after recording two interceptions against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Linzer participated in both the Houston and Columbus Showcases.
Qian Magwood, WR (Ball State)
A Columbus native and graduate of Walnut Ridge High School, Magwood was a three-star recruit and three-time high school team captain. He became Ball State’s leading receiver in 2023, catching 41 passes for 358 yards, and earned preseason All-MAC recognition ahead of both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He finished his college career with 83 receptions for 885 yards and six touchdowns across 37 games, including 19 catches for 320 yards as a senior in 2025.
Jake Thaw, WR (Michigan / Delaware)
Part of Michigan’s 2023 national championship team, Thaw appeared in all 15 games and served as the team’s primary punt returner in 14 contests, including the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff National Championship Game. He transferred to Delaware, where he earned second-team All-CAA recognition as a punt returner in 2024. He also contributed as a receiver and was named a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy.
Until the completion of the 2027 UFL Draft on November 18, 2026, in St. Louis, the Showcase Series is the only pathway for new players to earn an opportunity with a UFL team. Following the draft, teams can sign additional free agents to their 64-player training camp rosters.
Four Showcase events remain on the 2026 schedule:
Nov. 8: Orlando, Florida – Celebration High School
Nov. 15: Louisville, Kentucky – Louisville Male High School
Nov. 21: Los Angeles, California – Redondo Union High School
Dec. 5: Arlington, Texas – Choctaw Stadium
Players interested in participating can register at showcases.theufl.com.
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